Arts

At Lancaster Country Day School, our visual arts program offers a diverse range of courses designed to nurture artistic skills and foster a deep appreciation for the arts. As students progress, our focus expands to enhance their analytical and creative thinking, along with their ability to process conceptual ideas. Our studio-based classes empower students to become increasingly self-motivated and independent, exploring various techniques and conceptual development. Through engaging critiques and the study of renowned artists and art history, students gain fluency in the language of the arts.

The process of learning to express oneself through movement promotes physical and mental wellness, reduces stress, builds confidence and challenges students to push their physical and creative boundaries.

The dance program at Lancaster Country Day School offers Middle and Upper School students the opportunity to explore the art of movement. Students are introduced to a wide variety of dance styles and genres from ballet to world dance, from tap and hip hop dance to contemporary improvisation. Classes focus on the processes, collaboration and thinking skills involved in creating movement and making dances. Additionally, the curriculum includes components of dance history, composition and vocabulary. Dancers develop their knowledge and skills in a supportive, experimental environment where new ideas and student input are keys to the creative process. For interested students, choreography and dance performance opportunities are available.

Our music program encourages each child to develop his or her own musical abilities within the classroom, in public performances both on and off campus, and through individual and group lessons that explore both voice and a variety of instruments.
 
Opportunities to learn and perform abound across all three divisions. In Lower School music students explore musical concepts through singing, listening, playing instruments and creative movement. In Middle School students learn general music each year, and have the opportunity to be part of chorus, band and string ensemble. Upper School music students can participate in orchestra, chorus and jazz ensemble, as well as collaborating in small groups on special performance projects. Members of the large performing groups, such as chorus and orchestra, may audition individually for the Lancaster-Lebanon Music Educators (LLMEA) and Pennsylvania Music Educators Association (PMEA) district-level music festivals.

Our theater program emphasizes the development of stage-worthy skills through exercises in voice, movement, improvisation, and scene study.
  
The Middle School theater curriculum introduces students to basic acting skills and techniques, as well as pivotal periods in theater history. Students also have the opportunity to participate in main stage productions during the school year. Our Upper School students may take theater electives as well as join three main stage shows during the school year. Through these professionally directed productions, students are exposed to the collaborative process by fulfilling performance positions as actors, as well as coordinating and designing the shows’ technical aspects, such as sound, lights and publicity. 

Middle School Theater
The Middle School theater curriculum includes three courses: Public Speaking, Theater Ensemble and Theater 8. Students are introduced to basic acting skills and techniques, as well as study pivotal periods in theater history. Students also have the opportunity to participate in all the main stage productions during the school year.

Upper School Theater
Upper School students may join three main stage shows during the school year. Through these professionally directed productions, students are exposed to the collaborative process by fulfilling performance positions as actors, as well as coordinating and designing the shows’ technical aspects, such as sound, lights and publicity. These productions are independent of the theater electives: Playing Shakespeare, Beginning Acting, Advanced Acting and Directing Lab.

Purchase Tickets For LCDS Theatre Productions

REGISTER FOR INDIVIDUAL MUSIC LESSONS

Individual music lessons are offered for a fee on piano, violin, viola, cello, flute, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, trombone, French horn, baritone, drums, voice, and guitar. Teachers make their own scheduling and payment arrangements directly with student's families. The age at which a student may begin depends on the instrument. Students studying an instrument will be given an opportunity to perform at recitals during the school year.

Meet Our Applied Music Faculty

Group lessons in 4th and 5th grade and sectional rehearsals in the Middle School for orchestral and band instruments are offered at no extra charge.

For more information about individual music lessons, please contact Myrna Eitzen, LCDS Music Lesson Coordinator.